I am scared of flying. I absolutely hate being on a plane to the point where I almost hope that my flights get cancelled.
I used to pop an anti-anxiety pill strong enough to knock me out for most of the flight, but I don’t want to do that anymore.
Instead, I’ve learnt to work with my physiology
If I sit on the plane with my fear of flying, my nervous system is preparing me for a crash
I can’t really control my fearful thoughts, but I can influence my nervous system.
I know that if I had caffeine before, it will make it worse. So I avoid coffee and Coke.
I know that if I had alcohol and poor sleep the night before, it will make it worse. So I make sure I set myself up for a great sleep the nights before (see my free guide for that: https://yogawithclem.ck.page/bettersleep ).
I know that doing low intensity cardio before the flight helps. So before my last flight, I played Beat Saber for an hour
I know that once I’m on the plane, I can use my breath to signal to my brain that I am safe and relaxed.
This is what I mean when I say that education helps us make better choices for ourselves.
Small lifestyle changes can make us more resilient to stressful experiences.